Whip action device for the head of golf clubs



Sept. 15, 1953 w. H. THOMAS WHIP ACTION DEVICE FOR THE HEAD OF GOLFCLUBS Filed Sept. 14, 1951 INVENTOR wl sua H .THoMAS Patented Sept. 15,1953 WHIP ACTION DEVICE FOR THE HEAD OF GOLF CLUBS Wilbur H. Thomas,Costa Mesa, Calif.

Application September 14, 1951,

Serial No. 246,577

3 Claims. (Cl. 273170) This invention relates to golf clubs, and moreparticularly to an improved adjustable weight device for the head of agolf club.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedweight adjusting means for the head of a golf club which involves verysimple parts, which is readily installed on the head of a golf club, andwhich is easy to adjust to provide proper balance of the club inaccordance with the particular requirements of the player using theclub.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved golf clubhaving means for adjusting the center of gravity of the head of the clubin accordance with the individual requirements of the player using theclub and to correct defects in the players swing, the improved meansinvolving relatively inexpensive components, being compact in size,being easy to manipulate, and enabling the player to set the position ofthe center of gravity of the club head in accordance with his particulartype of swing.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the head of an improved golf clubaccording to the present invention showing one form of weight-adjustingmeans provided on the head;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the portion of the golf club ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross sectional detail view taken on the line33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view, similar to Figure 1,but showing another form of weight-adjusting means according to thepresent invention; and

Figure 5 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 ofFigure 4.

Referring to the drawings, and more particular to Figures 1, 2 and 3, II designates a golf club having the head I2 projecting laterally fromthe lower end of the shank portion I3. The head is generallyconventional in shape.

tion by tightenin the screw 16. Secured to the end of the arm I6 is acircular weight I8 of any suitable heavy material, said weight having aduringthe swing and provides an added amount of Whip action, degreejusted in accordance with flexible arm I6. This of course is determinedby the position on which the head of screw I5 engages said arm. By aseries of trials, the indiof which may be adthe effective length of bythe position in which the weight element I8 is secured relative to theremainder of the head I2.

or recess 2|, the passing screw I5 being located in the intermediateportion of the recess 2|. The resilient arm I6 is received in the recess2I and the screw I5 passes through the slot ll of said arm, whereby thearm l6 may be clamped in any desired adjusted position along the recess2 I. As shown in Figure 5, the weight element I8 is norelement 20, whichengages the club head I2 and functions as a spacer to establish thenormal position of the weight element I8 relative to the remainder ofthe club head. The recess 2| acts I as a guide means and serves toprevent the arm I 5 What is claimed is:

1. In a golf club, a shank, a head projecting laterally from said shank,a headed fastening member threadedly engaged with said head at its rearsurface, an arm of resilient material formed adjacent one end with alongitudinal slot, said fastening member extending through the slot,whereby the arm is adjustably secured to said head: adjacent said oneend thereof, and a weight member secured to said arm adjacent its otherend, whereby the weight member flexes outwardly during a swing of theclub, providing a whip action, the degree of which can be ad.- justed byadjusting the position of the slot relative to said headed fasteningmember.

2. In a golf club. a shank, a head projecting laterally from said shank,a headed fasteningv member threadedly engaged with said head at its rearsurface, an arm of resilient. material formed adjacent one end with alongitudinal slot, said fastening member extending through the slot,whereby the arm is adjustably secured to said head, a weight membersecured to the other end portion of said arm, and an abutment element onsaid other end portion between the weight member and said arm,maintaining said other end' portion spaced from the rear surface of thehead, whereby the weight member flexes outwardly during a swing of theclub, providing a, Whip action, the degree of'which can be adjusted byadjusting the position of the slot relativev to said headed fasteningmember.

3. In a golf club, a shank, a head projecting laterally from said shank,said head being formed with a groove in its rear surface, a headedfastening member threadedly engaged with said head in said groove, anarm of resilient material slidably mounted in said groove, said armbeing formed with a longitudinal slot adjacent one end, said fasteningmember extending through the slot, whereby the portion of the armadjacent said. one end is adjustabl-y secured to; said head, a weightmember secured tothe other end portion of said arm, and an abutmentelement on said other end portion between the weight member and saidarm, maintaining said weight portion spaced from the rear surface of thehead, whereby the weight member flexes outwardly during. a swing. of.the club, providing a whip action, the degree of which can be adjustedby adjusting the position of the slot relative to said headed fasteningmember.

W'ILBUR H. THOMAS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 551,519 Wood Dec. 17, 1895 1,320,163: Maurice Oct. 28, 1919.-l,548,338 Smolinsky Aug. 4, 1925. 1,975,307 Ackerman Oct. 2, 19342,171,383 Wettlaufer Aug. 29, 1939 2,280,582 Hoeflich Apr. 21, 1942.2,592,013 Curley Apr. 8, 1952

